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(Nb-Model.)

W. H. SMALL; DEVIGE FOR CLOSING BRICKS IN THE WALLS OPWELLS 0R GISTERNS. N0. 290,277. Patented Dec. 18, 1883..

Attest NI TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. SMALL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

DEVICE FOR CLOSING BRICKS IN THE WALLS F WELLS 0R CISTERNS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 290,277, dated December 18, 1883.

Application filed November 17, 1882. Renewed October 25, 1883. (No model.)

1'0 a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. SMALL, of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Device for Closing Bricks in the Walls of \Vells or Oisterns, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device; Fig. 2, an edge elevation; Fig. 8, a side view of the handle used in operating the screw; and Fig. 4, a side View of the nose of the device, the two parts of the nose being opened apart.

The same letters of reference denote the same parts.

The present device is designed more especia-ll y for closingtogether the bricks in a'course of brick as laid in a well or cistern.

It consists, substantially, of a pair of levers, A A, jointed together at a, the levers being extended beyond the joint a at a a, and the other ends, a cf, of the levers being connected by means of the screw B. The screw is provided withthe handle 0. Considered generally, the leversresemble a pair of pliers, the extensions a a answeringinformto the nose of the pliers. The screw at each end has a thread, I) b, the threads extending in opposite directions. The

, nuts D D are journaled at d in the levers A A,

and the screw B at its ends engages in the nuts D D, the thread b engaging in the nut D and the thread bengagingin the nut D. By turning the handle,the screw B is rotated, causing the nuts D D and the ends a a of the levers to be drawn together or forced apart from each other, according to the direction in which the handle is turned. Whentheends a are opened apart from each other, the nose of the device is closed, as shown in Fig. 1, and when the ends a are drawn toward each other the nose is, opened, as shown in Fig. 4.

The operation of the device is as follows: Brick are laid around in a course in the ordi nary manner, leaving a space large enough to insert the nose of the device. The device,

being closed, as shown in Fig. 1, is then inserted between two adjoining bricks of the course, and the handle 0 turned to draw the ends a a of the levers A A toward each other. The effect is to open the parts a a of the nose apart from each other, andin so doing to Wedge the bricks in the course closely together. The device is then withdrawn from between the bricks,and the-space formed in the course by the action of the device suitably filled with a key-brick. As considerable power is sometimes required in operating the device, the I handle 0 is preferably made as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3that is, the handle has several arms,

0 c, which are open or perforated, as shown,

to enable a lever to be inserted through them, and thereby obtain a greater leverage upon the screw. In using the device, a course of brick may be laid and tightened, or several courses may be laid before bringing the device into requisition; and in practice I prefer to lay several courses, rather than to tighten every course as laid, and when several courses are to be tightened simultaneously, I employ one. of the present devices for each course.

A modification of the construction would be making the screwB in two parts, the parts at their outer ends being jointed to the levers 7 5 A A, and at their inner ends engaging in the handle, which,in such case, is suitably threaded= to engage with the two threads of the screws.

I claim 1. The combination of the leversAA,jointed together ataand extended at aa, the screw B, having the threads b b, and the nuts D D, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the levers A A, the screw B, the nuts D D, and the handle O,sub- 8 5 stantially as described.

I 3. The combination of the levers A A, the screw B, the nuts D D, and the handle 0, having the perforated arms 0 c, substantially as described.

' W. H. SMALL.

Witnesses:

SAML. S. Born, 0. D. MoonY. 

